Collar



July 18, 1939. J. J. CUNNINGHAM COLLAR Filed Feb. 15, 1938 INVENTOR JbH/v JC'u/v/w/vG'HA/w.

BY M M AT ORNEYS Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to wearing apparel and more especially to collars and collar-attached shirts.

Heretofore it has been difiicult, and in some types of collars practically impossible, to prevent the necktie accompanying such collar from slipping oil the lower edge of the inner fold of a turn-down collar when the necktie is tied, due to the tightening of the tie around the inner fold which is braced or stiffened at the top by the folded edge of the collar, and therefore is relatively more easily contracted at the bottom edge which is not so stiffened. This not only results in discomfort to the wearer but in addition causes the tie knot in front to slip down out of place and thereby to be unattractive in appearance. Also, in dress or standing collars, comprising a single band, there is a marked tendency for the tie to ride up at the rear because the upper edge is entirely unsupported against contraction and therefore relatively more easily contracted than the lower edge.

An object of this invention is to provide a collar structure which is adapted to maintain a necktie in position with' respect to the collar with which it is worn; in turn-down collars serving to hold the tie up adjacent the fold line and preventing the tie from falling downwardly or off the edge of the inner fold, and in standing collars serving to hold the tie adjacentthe lower edge and against riding up or over the upper edge.

The invention consists in the novel features, arrangements and combination of parts embodied by way of example in the article hereinafter described as illustrating the preferred form of the invention, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a turn-down collar embodying the invention, showing the collar as worn with a necktie in tied position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the collar of Fig. 1 opened out,

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken through the rear of a collar such as shown in Fig. 1 showing the collar attached to the neck band of a shirt,

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken at 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation showing a collarattached shirt.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1: the collar in its entirety is indicated as l and comprises an inner fold or bandlike member 2 and an outer fold 3, the two folds being formed of an integral structure in the customary manner which is creased or folded along the fold line 4 to form inner and outer folds. A necktie 5 encircles the inner fold 2 and is held upwardly between the folds toward the fold line 4 by a plurality of spaced means indicated generally as 6 and 1. These holding means will now be more particularly described.

Referring to Fig. 2, the inner fold of band 2 of the collar is cut out to provide a tab 8 having an ogee contour and relatively enlarged openings 9 and ID are provided adjacent respectively opposite sides of the base of the tab 8. The base of the tab 8 in the position at 6 is substantially horizontal or parallel to the upper edge of the collar, and the openings 9 and ID are in alignment and are substantially parallel to said base. The tab 8 is preferably stiffened or reinforced (Fig. 4) as by reinforcement H which is preferably made of or treated with thermoplastic material and bonded by heat and pressure with the adjacent outer plies of the inner fold 2. The cut edges of the tab 8, the openings 9 and I8 and interconnected portion of the fold 2 contiguous to the tab 8 are reinforced as by button hole stitching II. The tab 8 is bent or deflected outwardly from the remainder of the fold 2 from which it is formed in a direction toward the outer fold 3 (Fig. 3) to thereby provide a guideway and seat for accommodating the necktie 5, the cut out portions 9 and I8 serving to relieve the tie from binding action when it is slid back and forth in said guideway. It will also be seen that the necktie is thus provided with a seat formed by the turned-up tab which serves to hold the necktie toward the fold line 4, while permitting freedom of movement without binding.

In addition to the above described holding means 6 it is preferable to employ the additional similar means 1 positioned adjacent the front of the collar (Fig. 2) to assure a more positive holding of the tie at this portion of the collar to prevent the knot of the tie from slipping downwardly and serving to hold it up into the position indicated in Fig. l. The means I is identical in all respects with that previously described except that the base of the tab and the aligned openings are preferably inclined upwardly and forwardly to assure an increased positive action urging the knot into the desired position as indicated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 illustrates the application of the invention to the collar-attached shirt, in which a single means comprising the tab 8 and openings 9 and I0 is illustrated.

It will be seen from the foregoing that there has been provided as a part of the unitary structure of a collar means formed integral with and as a part of the regular collar stock which serves to hold the necktie in the desired position while permitting ready sliding of the necktie around the collar such as is necessary in trying the knot in the tie and adjusting its position, etc.

This means also prevents the collar from binding engagement with the collar button (Fig. 3)

such as I2 where a separate collar is attached ito the neck band such as [3 of the shirt l4, and thereby also prevents the frequent ripping of the seams of the tie on the collar button l2.

Having thus described my invention with p ar-.

ticularity with reference to its preferred form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that other changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I aim in the appended claims to cover such changes and modifications as are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a collar, the combination of an inner fold and an outer fold between which a necktie is adapted to be accommodated, said inner fold being provided at the rear of said collar with a cut out portion forming a tab having an ogee curve, said tab being adapted to be bent out of the said inner fold toward the outer fold and providing between said inner fold and tab a guideway for holding a necktie toward the folded upper edge of said collar, and a second similarly formed tab positioned intermediate said first tab and the front of said collar, the base of said second-tab being inclined upwardly and forwardly.

2. A collar comprising a band-like portion, an arcuate tab integral with said band and cut out therefrom, said tab being bendable beyond the outer face of said band about a base intermediate the upper and lower edges of said collar, and aligned openings in said band adjacent the respectively opposite sides of the base of said tab, said tab and the contiguous portion of said band serving as a guide for a necktie positioned therebetween to hold itin position toward one edge of said collar and said openings serving to relieve friction at the base of said tab.

3. In a collar, the combination of an inner fold and an outer fold between which a necktie is adapted to be accommodated, said inner fold being provided intermediate its ends with a cut out portion forming a tab having a wide arcuate top and a'base relatively long with respect to the height of said tab, said tab being adapted to be bent out of the said inner fold toward the outer fold and providing between said inner fold and tab a guideway for readily slidably holding a necktie toward the folded upper edge of said collar.

4. An article of wearing apparel in combination with an attached turn-down collar having an inner fold and an outer fold between which a necktie is adapted to be accommodated, and an arcuate tab integral with said inner fold, said tab being bendable beyond the outer face of said inner fold about a base intermediate the upper and lower edges of said inner fold and said inner fold having aligned openings adjacent the respectively opposite sides of the base of said tab, said tab and the contiguous portion of said band serving as a guideway for a necktie positioned therebetween to hold it in position toward the upper edge of said collar and said openings serving to relieve friction at the base of said tab.

JOHN J. CUNNINGHAM. 

